From:    Todd Rourke                            Area: Magical Plants
To:      Frater Almost                          10 Jul 92 13:45:22
Subject: Greetings                              Rec'd UpdReq 

-=- Frater Almost imparted this unto Todd Rourke -=-
 FA> Greetings back at'cha! :)  93!  This is the echo where we discuss how
 FA> to grow, cultivate, improve, harvest, etc. ethno-botanical plants,
 FA> etc.  In other words.... It's a place to talk about plants that can be
 FA> used  to improve magick and how to use them, what their dangers are,
 FA> how to grow them, and how to care for them.   
 FA> It is simply a nice little place to sit and talk about things like the
 FA> Shamanic Experience. 
Very well then, and well met might I add! Looks like a dandy echo to
be a part of. Hope to be relatively active in this echo. I'll be
posting a little profile in the PODS areas that I am getting to
briefly describe myself and my system (and my users) to you all. I
figure it would be nice for some brief introductions.

-TR
... Oxymoron = Organized religion


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From:    Todd Rourke                            Area: Magical Plants
To:      All                                    10 Jul 92 14:32:04
Subject: About Cerebral Babylon                 UpdReq 

Editor's Note: This is a 'generic' message I am creating to post onto
all of the echoes I am getting via PODS. It is a brief (?)
introduction of myself, my system, and my users. Hopefully this can
leap into some conversation in the various echoes, as it is always
somewhat difficult for a new node to dive into existing discussions.
***
Cerebral Babylon is basically a concept-oriented BBS in the greater
Providence area of Rhode Island. The general focus is on debate, with
several local message areas dedicated to this end. Some of the most
popular (and infamous) local message areas on my system are the
"Losing My Religion" area which is for discussing religion in general,
and "The Satanic Verses" which is an excercise in dealing with various
ideas on morallity and the lack thereof. Other stand-out areas include
my local "Political Cut-throats" (self explanatory) and "AmeriKKKa's
Most Wanted" which concerns itself with oppression and racism in the
country and in the world.
My users run the gamut of belief systems and ages. Calculations show
that out of a current set of 300 users (still growing, system is only
up since August 1st, 1991) the average age is approximately 22 years.
I have a large group of loyal atheists and agnostics, followed by
Jews, Wiccans, and Christians in that order.  The general level of
education is high... college-oriented. Most of my users love a good
verbal scrap with each other, or as it often seems to be, a nice
battle of wit and words with their ever-lovin' sysop (myself).
Needless to say, it is often hard to pry them loose from my local msg
areas and get them into the nets, but they are finding their way.
As far as I am concerned, I am active in 3 current networks now. I am
the HOST in the area for both PODS and Interactive Communications
Network. I moderate some 6 echoes for ICN (ANSI, CRITIC, DEBATE,
DRDOS, EVENTS, & SPORTS). I also frequent some Fido echoes (BIBLE,
OPEN_BIBLE, FUNNY, POLITICS, ENVIRO) and I am the moderator for a
newly forming Fido echo called REASON (which I am looking for nodes,
so if anyone wants a 'reasonable' religious/political debate echo,
drop me a line about getting REASON). Personally, I consider myself to
be an atheist with strong interest in the occult and Satanism. Not
'Satanism-proper' but more or less some of the basic tenets of
Satanism appeal to me... love those who's love will benefit you, scorn
others, etc. You could say I'm not a very Christian guy, but I do try
to be tolerant of other peoples belief systems (tho not succeeding
very often ;-> ) Politically speaking, I am rather conservative in
nature, which suprises a lot of people that I could have the
'religious' beliefs I have and be a Republican, but I am. Needless to
say, I love to confront people on their ideas and make them think...
even if I have to take the other side of an issue (and very well a
side I don't agree with) to make them think about it.
I am the consumate Devil's Advocate.
So that's the background and intro. If anyone would be so kind as to
fire off some replies with some questions relating to the current area
and this message, please do. We're anxious to get 'sucked in' over
here. Heh heh.

-TR
... In our holy quest for supremacy... the Lords of the Left Hand.


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